The present invention relates to a data recording system, a data recording method, and a recording medium.
In a conventional video system, recorded audio-visual (AV) data are edited through the following processes. The video system employs a reproduction system for reproducing the recorded AV data and a recording system for recording the AV data reproduced by the reproduction system. Desired portions of the AV data are recorded on the recording system while the AV data are reproduced by the reproduction system. For example, when an attempt is made to create a digest of certain AV data, the AV data are edited through the processes mentioned above. For example, as shown in FIG. 21, when an attempt is made to create a new video file from a portion of a first video file including first video data and a portion of a second video file including second video data, there is a necessity for producing a duplicate of the corresponding portion of the first video file and a duplicate of the corresponding portion of the second video file.
According to the standards for an existing mini disk (MD), audio data are not recorded on a track in adjacent locations but are discretely recorded on the track in recording units, each comprising a predetermined amount of data. In order to reproduce a string of data from the discrete data sets, there is provided a management table for use in linking the discrete data sets together. The reproduction system accesses the discrete data in the sequence written in the management table, to thereby enable reproduction of sequential sound.
In the above-described conventional video system, editing of recorded AV data involves use of two VCRs. Further, since AV data must be duplicated while editing, an additional recording area for recording the duplicate of the AV data is required.
According to the existing MD standards, each of the linked data sets assumes a predetermined amount of recorded data, and only a single management table is assigned to a mini disk. If other data are overwritten on a disk on which data have already been recorded, the existing management table must be rewritten. Thus, only single link data are available. For these reasons, in order to edit data, the data must be duplicated as in the conventional video system. A significant problem is not encountered in a case where there is little necessity for editing data, such as the case of an MD. In contrast, in the case of AV data, it is expected that there is an increasing user demand for creating a digest of certain AV data.
Further, the conventional file system can share a file but cannot share a portion of a file.
The present invention is directed to an system and method for enabling easy editing of AV data. Particularly, the object of the present invention is to provide a data recording system, a data recording method, and a recording medium, wherein AV data can be readily edited without involvement of duplication of the AV data and without a necessity for an addition data recording area.
The present invention has been conceived to solve the foregoing problem. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data recording system for recording primary data, comprising:
a recording section for recording primary data; and
a control section which generates an original file at the time of recording of the primary data, and a virtual file through editing of the original file, wherein the original file stores link data which are formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in a recording region on a recording medium, and the virtual file stores link data which are formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in the recording region on the recording medium.
In this data recording system, when the recording section records primary data, the control section generates an original file. Further, through editing of the original file, a virtual file is prepared. Through use of the virtual file having the edited link data stored thereon, a plurality of files can access at least a portion of the primary data. As a result, for example, editing of the primary data, such as preparation of a digest of the primary data, becomes feasible, thereby eliminating a necessity for use of two VCRs. Further, the primary data are managed in the form of only files, thus eliminating a necessity for ensuring a region for use in recording a duplicate of the primary data.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control section prepares a virtual file by editing the original file and/or the virtual file. A virtual file can be formed not only from the original file but also from another virtual file.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data recording system for storing primary data, comprising:
a recording section for recording primary data; and
a control section for preparing a file at the time of recording of the primary data, wherein the file stores, in the form of a logical address, link data which are formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in a recording region on a recording medium.
In this data recording system, the file is prepared when the recording section records the primary data. As a result of a new file being prepared by editing the file, editing or reproduction of the primary data; for example, preparation of a digest of the primary data, becomes feasible, thereby eliminating a necessity for use of two VCRs. Further, there is eliminated a necessity for ensuring a region for use in recording a duplicate of the primary data.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the control section edits the original file that is prepared at the time of recording of the primary data, thereby resulting in preparation of a new file; that is, a virtual file. Further, a new virtual file is prepared by editing an existing original file and/or an existing virtual file. Reserving of the thus-prepared virtual file enables editing of the primary data; for example, preparation of a digest of the primary data.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the virtual file comprises at least a portion of address data pertaining to a file which is used as a source for editing.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the control section prepares a new file on the basis of a plurality of files. A new single file can be prepared through editing of a plurality of files.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the address data correspond to address data stored in respective unit recording regions which are formed by dividing the recording medium into a plurality of recording regions.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, when any of existing files is deleted, the control section deletes the file. When a portion of any one of existing files is deleted, the control section deletes from the file one or a plurality of address data sets pertaining to the file. In this way, any one of existing files or a portion of thereof can be deleted by deletion of only one or a plurality of address data sets pertaining to the file.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the control section prepares a link count table for managing the number of times files refers to each of unit recording regions into which the recording region on the recording medium is divided. Further, the control section updates data pertaining to the prepared link count table or pertaining to a link count table read from the recording medium, through editing and/or deletion of the files. Reserving the link count table enables management of the respective unit recording regions. For example, the unit recording region assigned reference number 0 can be released as a recordable region.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the unit recording region assigned reference number 0 in the link count table is handled as a recordable region. When the original file prepared at the time of recording of the primary data or a portion of the original file is deleted, the control section resets to zero the reference number assigned in the link count table to the corresponding unit recording regions to be deleted. In contrast, when the virtual file prepared by editing the existing file or a portion of the virtual file is deleted, the control section decrements the reference number assigned in the link count table to the corresponding unit recording regions to be deleted. As a result, there can be performed processing required for distinguishing the original file from the virtual file, processing for handling the virtual file as being in a hierarchy level lower than the original file, and processing for deleting the virtual file.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, when a certain original file or a portion of the original file is deleted, another virtual file referring to the corresponding unit recording region to be deleted is corrected. As a result of correction of another virtual file, another virtual file referring to the corresponding unit recording region to be deleted can be prevented from being affected by deletion of the certain original file.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the unit recording region assigned reference number 0 in the link count table is handled as a recordable region. When a certain file is wholly or partially deleted, the control section decrements the reference number assigned in the link count table to the corresponding unit recording regions to be deleted, regardless of whether the file to be deleted is an original file prepared at the time of recording of primary data or a virtual file prepared by editing an existing file. As a result, there can be performed processing required for executing a deleting operation, wherein the original file and the virtual file are handled as being of the same hierarchical level.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, when overwriting of the entirety of a certain existing file or overwriting of a portion of the file is instructed, the control section prepares a new file with regard to the thus-overwritten primary data, and corrects the link data stored in the existing files or deletes the existing files. As a result, processing required for performing an overwriting operation can be carried out.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the control section prepares a title set file for storing the address data pertaining to the files and corrects the title set file in response to preparation or deletion of the files.
Reserving of the title set file enables management of the respective files and provides immediate access to the link data pertaining to the respective files.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the data recording system writes at predetermined timing into the recording medium data pertaining to the generated, corrected, and deleted files, data pertaining to the link count table, and data pertaining to the title set file. At the time of reproduction of the recorded primary data, the data pertaining to the files, the data pertaining to the link count table, and the data pertaining to the title set file are read from the recording medium, and the primary data can be reproduced according to the thus-read data.
According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the data recording system reads from the recording medium data pertaining to the files, data pertaining to the link count table, and data pertaining to the title set file, all of which are written into the recording medium by the data recording system, and stores the thus-read data into a storage section of the data recording system. As a result, the primary data can be reproduced according to the data pertaining to the files, the data pertaining to the link count table, and the data pertaining to the title set file, all the data sets being stored in the storage section.
According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the data recording system records primary data on and reproduces primary data from unit recording regions which are formed by dividing a recording region on a recording medium into a plurality of sub-divisions. Data pertaining to a reproduction start frame and a reproduction end frame of each unit recording region are stored in the file. Even when the data are recorded or reproduced on a per-unit-recording-region basis, data can be edited from an arbitrary position (frame).
According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the data recording system records primary data on and reproduces primary data from unit recording regions which are formed by dividing a recording region on a recording medium into a plurality of sub-divisions. Given that the minimum rate at which the data recording system transfers data to the recording medium is Be, a bit rate at which data are reproduced is Bd, a time required from the time a head has made a maximum jump over the recording medium to the time first actual data are acquired is Tw, and the amount of data stored on the unit recording region is C, recording or reproduction of data is performed so as to satisfy the relational expressions (Bexe2x88x92Bd)*Ts greater than Bd*Tw, Ts=C/Be, and Be greater than Bd. In this data recording system, according to the above relational expressions, data having the amount of (Bexe2x88x92Bd)Ts are stored during period Ts. The thus-stored data are greater in amount than data in the amount of Bd*Tw and are reproduced in Tw, which is a time required from the time a head has made a maximum jump over the recording medium to the time first actual data are acquired. Even if the head makes a jump between the inner periphery and the outer periphery of the recording medium, the data can be stably recorded or reproduced without interruption.
According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data recording method for recording primary data on a recording medium, comprising:
a step of generating link data by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in a recording region on the recording medium;
a step of editing existing link data, to thereby generate link data which differ from the existing link data and sequentially comprises address data for reproduction; and
a step of recording the respective link data sets on the recording medium.
Through use of the edited link data, a plurality of link data sets can access at least a portion of the primary data. As a result, for example, editing of the primary data, such as preparation of a digest of the primary data, becomes feasible, thereby eliminating a necessity for use of two VCRs and a necessity for ensuring a region for use in recording a duplicate of the primary data.
According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of discretely recording primary data on a recording medium, wherein new link data for linking together recording packets according to the recording of the primary data are prepared separately from the existing link data, and the new link data are recorded on the recording medium together with the existing link data. As a result, various programs can be prepared by means of new link information every time link information is recorded.
According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, when new data are written over the existing recording packet, the link to the recording packet on which the new data are written is deleted from the existing link data. Under this data recording method, when new data are written over the existing recording packet, the link to the recording packet on which the new data are written is deleted from the existing link data, thereby preventing specification of new recording data from entering into the existing link data.
According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, a link count table for managing the number of linked recording packets is also recorded on the recording medium. With the foregoing configuration of the data recording method, vacant recording packets can also be managed simultaneous with managing of the linked recording packets. Accordingly, additional recording of data on vacant recording packets can be carried out smoothly.
According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium having principal data recorded thereon and storing:
an original file which is prepared at the time of recording of the primary data and stores link data which are formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in a recording region on a recording medium; and a virtual file which is prepared through editing of the original file and stores link data formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in the recording region on the recording medium.
Data are reproduced according to the original file or the virtual file stored in the recording medium, thereby enabling reproduction of data in various modes, such as a full-reproduction mode or a digest reproduction mode. Further, the data are managed in the form of files, and hence the recording region on the recording medium can be effectively utilized.
According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium having primary data recorded thereon and storing:
a file which is prepared the time of recording of the primary data and stores, in the form of a logical address, link data formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in a recording region on a recording medium. Preparation of a new file by editing the file enables editing or reproduction of the primary data; for example, preparation of a digest of the primary data. Data can be reproduced in various modes, such as a full-reproduction mode or a digest reproduction mode. Further, the data are managed in the form of files, and hence the recording region on the recording medium can be effectively utilized.
According to a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention, the recording medium stores
a new file which is prepared through editing an existing file and stores, in the form of a logical address, link data formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in the recording region on the recording medium. Data are reproduced according to the original file or the virtual file stored in the recording medium, thereby enabling reproduction of data in various modes, such as a full-reproduction mode or a digest reproduction mode.
According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, the recording medium has stored thereon data pertaining to a title set file for storing the address data pertaining to the files, and data pertaining to a link count table for managing the number of times files refers to each of unit recording regions into which the recording region on the recording medium is divided. Reserving of the link count table enables management of the respective unit recording regions. For example, the unit recording region assigned reference number 0 can be released as a recordable region, and the link data pertaining to the respective files can be accessed immediately.
According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium having principal data discretely recorded thereon, wherein there are provided a plurality of types of link data sets for use in linking together respective discretely-recorded recording packets. By means of the link data sets, the user can enjoy various types of reproduction of data; for example, reproduction of data in a full-reproduction mode, a short-time mode, and a digest mode, by designation of desired link data.
According to a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the recording medium is provided with data pertaining to a title set file for specifying a start address of each of the link data sets. By means of the title set file for specifying a start address of each of the link data sets, respective link data sets can be immediately accessed.